Does a US birth certificate of a foreign born adopted child serve as proof of citizenship?

by Annette
(Portland, Oregon)

Question: My daughter was adopted from Guatemala. We immigrated her to the U.S. on a Guatemalan passport. She had a green card. We recently completed the re-adoption process in the state of Oregon and now have a foreign born Oregon birth certificate. Does this satisfy the requirement for proof of citizenship? Do we need any other documentation to get a passport for her?

Answer: You will need the following when the child applies for a passport:

1) Proof of the child's relationship to the U.S. citizen parent. For an adopted child, it is a certified copy of the final adoption decree (and translation if not in English);

2) The I-551 stamp endorsed in the child's foreign passport showing that the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services admitted the child for lawful permanent residence , or the child's permanent resident card (green card);